The World is Ours
by Silico
Summary: Batman's thoughts during events of Forever Evil #3 / WARNING: CONTAINS SPOILERS \


**WARNING: THIS STORY CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR FOREVER EVIL #3 AND PREVIOUS ISSUES.**

If you don't want to be spoiled, turn away now.

This is just more of an in depth look at Batman's inner thoughts regarding a scene in Forever Evil.

* * *

The Red Room. Today, in both name and lighting. Every screen carried the same message: THIS WORLD IS OURS, emboldened on a red background. It cast an eerie hue over everything it touched. In the center of the room, Victor Stone- what was left of him- was laid on an examination table with his father bent over him.

Bruce was tired. He was sore. He wanted nothing more than to slouch against the table that one of his allies lay prone upon; but he couldn't do that. Responsibility kept his back straight, and the situation at hand kept him alert. He had just relayed a very simplified version of the events that had come to lead them here, and they were about to move Victor to a better location when an interruption came.

"_They've even taken care of Nightwing!" _A jovial voice Bruce recognized as the Riddler's broke into the room. _Nightwing_. The name cut through him, and Bruce's eyes snapped to the nearest screen that had suddenly sprung to life. The other sounds around him faded into the background as he focused on the fuzzy video that was flickering to life, a cold dread beginning to fill his stomach.

"_Yes, Nightwing..."_ A voice responded, as the image became clear. Superwoman was holding his protege aloft, her golden lasso wrapped tightly around his chest. His head was pulled back at an awkward angle, gripped by the hair on the back of his head. Bruce's fists clenched as the woman lifted her hand and peeled the mask from his bloodied face, and breath caught in the back of his throat. "_But his real name is Richard Grayson. Grayson has many friends and many places he calls his home. We know them all_."

Bruce felt as though he had been punched. His eyes narrowed, and the reality of what this meant came in quick waves. Dick had been captured, and was in the hands of a very powerful team of enemies. As if that was not enough, every single villain that he had ever fought made up the audience- and anyone who missed it was surely catching the news now. His identity had been revealed. It would only be a matter of time until one of two things happened: everyone else Dick cared about was exposed and hunted down, or he was killed.

"...They've been replaying the same clips over and over. Haven't you seen this, Batman?" The Doctor asked, speaking over the voices on the screen. Bruce didn't move his eyes from the screen, where Dick's bloodied face was still taking up a good portion, his eyes tightly shut, his brows tense. Too tense to be unconscious. _At least there's that._

"Batman?"

"No," Bruce said, between a clenched jaw. The screen had shifted to show an image of Dick's most recent license, and a photo of his civilian persona beside his masked one. An article about his parent's deaths sat adjacent. He tore his eyes away.

"I'm sorry, Dr. Stone. If you can stabilize Vic, we need to leave," Bruce said, his voice dark and low.

"Leave? Just when we got somewhere comfortable," Selina muttered.

"I need to find Nightwing," he said, his eyes narrowed and accusing. _She should know that_. Selina glanced away, before looking back at him out of the corner of her eyes with an expression slightly softer.

"After they broadcast his identity..? Batman..."

"We don't know that," Bruce interjected before she could finish. He glanced at the screens as they shifted from the display about Richard Grayson's personal identity and back to what had once been a live feed. Superwoman had tossed Dick to the ground, where he now lay still.

"Who is he?" Selina asked, quietly. She knew Nigthwing's names now, of course- both of them. She knew that they were partners and that they played on the same team, even if they didn't always work directly together anymore.

On the screens, they were dragging Dick off stage. He remained limp, and did not struggle in his bindings even as they mocked him. The crowd was cheering, jeering, and laughing.

"He's _family_."

* * *

_A/N: Yes, I changed some of the dialogue. _:P _I haven't decided if I'm going to continue this or not, but I did feel that we deserved a little more during that scene._


End file.
